Morning journal and courier., 1887-08-08
A CHAT ALONG SHORE.

The Cool Wave-Ex1t the MOsq uitO- |
 The COttagers Enjoy Life With 1
 Renewed Zest-The SuccuIent Clam 1
 at the " est Haven ShOre-BradleY's i
 Point = Hon. John H. Leeds - The
 People and the Coming steam Rail
 road to Savfn Rock.
 The recent annoying raid of mosquitoes
 along the Connecticut shore brought one ray
 of comfort to the stay at homes who were
 melting at their desks, offices or shops, and
 helped to make them more contented with their perspiring lot. But the reign of the mosquito was of brief duration, and he was
 "gathered to his fathers" in great numbers when the wind changed and General. Humidity departed. The welcome change in the weather, it is needless to say, causes thankfulness in the community, and yester days delightfully."- cool and sunshiny weather
 ''braced up" good many who were debili- tated by the long "horrid spell" of hot, t,sultry air. The people at the shore cottages are happy once more. Mosquitoes are few again, the breezes blow from off the Sound inviting one and all to boating, fishing and sailing, and shore sports can be indulged in freely
 with such a comfortable air as coast the sswhite-winged yachts" were never more numerous than this season, and the little bluefsh are making themselves known by ''biting beautifully" as one young lady expressed it Saturday who caught 22 off near the Lighthouse that day. And then the bathing is hugely enjoyed. Down at Sayin Rock on Saturday two of our elderly townsmen who were out in a boat were sur prised and excited to see what they at first in moment of poetical fancy mistook for mermaid approaching them. But it was not a mermaid, but lovely young lady who was 6rrTT0 from the ease and celerity with which she swam. The young damsel laid hold of the
 side of their boat, blushed profusely, and gave herself & push-oM and was quickly
 swimming back to Kelsey's pier, as if
 every stroke were physical luxury.
 The boatmen, whose craft was temporarily anchored where the maiden reached them,
 expressed the belief that if American women
 in general would take to athletics in general
 of character suitable for their sex it would
 be productive of grand good results.
 Then another important adjunct of enjoy
 ment in shore life is digging for the long
 clam. The festive clam has little peace at
 the West Haven shore anywhere within wad-
 ing distance, and this means good deal, as the wading distance along shore covers a great deal of ground. Every visitor at the shore, especially from up country, feels it his imperative duty to go clammiug at Savin Rock, and all the children catch the fever. The result is that the clans at Savin Rock except in protected private grounds have small chance even for ''the survival of the fittest." The round clam living in deep water,
 has more immunity from capture, but I the clam territory about the Rock and West
 Haven shore in general is invaded so fre- quently that it is not easy work to pick up or
 ''tread out" peck of them except after a heavy storm (southeasterly), when they are washed from the deeper into the shallow wa.ers and can be found in considerable l numbers. It is in the latter case that the ! knowing ones about town sally forth and come back laden with clans.
 'No brighter, happier hours are spent by I the children" said prominent cottager of West Haven shore Saturday, as he pointed l to bevy of children digging in the most | earnest and enquiring spirit after paper shell clans, "than at this shore. They fairly ! revel in the sand and come forth Drowned and hearty. It saves me pile of doctors 1 bills, disquietude and sleepless nights to ! have my children at the sea shore here three ! months in year" Just then the speaker elevated his telescope and sighted the U. s. 1 steamer Dolphin, which was steaming into the harbor and took up position inside the breakwater. Proceeding, he said: "The dnan- cial future of West Haven is very bright. Why, there's BradIey's Point just below the | Rock, owned by MT. Bradley, who fur nishes clans and oysters right out of the water to everybody along shore. That point is worth $25, 900 to MT. Bradley as it stands. l He recently sold @ lot to Hon. John H. Leeds, \ and Mr. Leeds has erected upon it that pretty | cosy little cottage which you see-just over I there with little barn back of it. MT. Leeds is welcomed by all a very desirable accession l to the shore. Then Mir. Andrew of the City | Point, and ex-Selectman F. s. Andrew | has one of the Point cottage. ! every year now. MT. Mcclure, of Westville, | has the cottage next below the Rock, nearly | opposite Mir. Cox's Surf House. And this | reminds me-" continued the cottager, "of the | fact that we fellows down here have been talking of the steam railroad operation and | are more convinced than ever that the Cons | solidated road would do big thing to build \ a branch road to the Rock. It would pay in | every way. It would pay the railroad com pany. It would build up the shore immense ceipts. It would bring great excursion par- ties here from Springfield, Holyoke, | and elsewhere, as they could | come here direct without even a change of | cars The city folks would come down here ! in greater numbers, and even the horse rail road would be beneftted as it would in crease the travel. The cost of such a railroad over the most feasible route would not exceed $30, ,000. I tell you it would make things | hum down here to have 8 steam railroad. This, the Coney Island of Connecticut, would 'get up and git,' and don't you forget it. New and larger hotels would be erected ana the whole appearance of the shore would be vastly improved. They need such 8 road also to develop the east shore. There is great need of such a road at the shore. Just look at the various points between the city and Branford | Point which such a road would develop. 1 What benefit it would be to Short Beach ! to have such road. That's pretty place,
 Is Short Beach, but it's the getting there by numbering stages. But there's millions in it for Savin Rock with a steam railroad"